Sarimazi Raptor Count has just started!

02.09.2019

1st September is the start day of the Sarimazi Raptor Count!

Hundreds of Egyptian vultures can be seen in Sarimazi in the region of Adana, Turkey only during the month of September. Thus, given optimal resources, we can also track population trends in the species in western Turkey where there is still a lack of information. Along with the vultures, many other species of migrating predatory birds are monitored, which shows the role of the Egyptian vulture as a so-called “umbrella species”: protecting the species and its breeding territories, migration paths, and wintering grounds also benefits a number of other rare and endangered species.

Since 2018 we have established an annual monitoring program where volunteers can participate and experience the spectacular autumn migration of tens of thousands of eagles, buzzards, kites, and storks. In 2018 a team from the Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds (BSPB), Doğa Derneği (BirdLife International Turkey) and RSPB counted 813 Egyptian vultures, over 10,000 Short-toed snake eagles, and over 37,000 Lesser-spotted eagles.

A special platform on the “Egyptian vulture New LIFE” project website presents statistics and live information daily on the number of observed Egyptian vultures and other predatory birds.

The monitoring was carried out within the framework of the project “Egyptian Vulture New LIFE” on the model of other large-scale research which has been organized for years in Batumi, Georgia. The monitoring in Sarimazi also has an educational element with the goal of training local partners of the project in Turkey and attracting more volunteers.